lofstrand



Jan. 27, 1931. A. P. 'LOFSTRAND RAILROAD swmm Filed April 28, 1930 I N VEN TOR. A'lbz'nlffiefbfmnd ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 27, 1931 ALBIN? P. .torsrimun, or, caisson attracts RAILROAD swrcrc r I j Application filed April 2 8,1

This invention relates to a railroad switch and has for it primary object toprovide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a railroad switch in which the switch points are ar- 5 ranged in a manner to'prevent accumulation of snow between the points and the track rails with which the-points areassociat-ed, and in which the mechanism for operating; the switch pointsv to open and close the same 10 may be properly housed to protect such mechanism from snow and the like thereby eliminating the possibility of the switch being rendered inoperative byrthe melting and subsequent freezing of snow. Afurther object of the invention is to provide,- in' a manner as hereinafter set'forth, a switch possessing the foregoing-advantages in which the switch points are moved verj tical-ly to openand closed positions. 1 20 Vith the foregoing and other; objects in view the inventionconsi-sts of the novel construction, combination and ,arrangementof. pa-rtsas hereinafter more particularly described; and as illustrated in the accompany- 25 ing drawing wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, 'but' it is to be understood that the descriptionand drawing are to be taken as illustrative and that the-invention is intended to be limited only by the 3 scope of the claims hereunto appended; V

In the accompanying drawing in which like numerals are employed'to designate like parts tl'iroughout the several views t Figure 1 is a sectional planillustrating a switch in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2- -2 of Figure 1 Figure 8 is a section taken on'the line of Figure 1. I i V Figure 4 is a sectional elevation showing one of the switch points in closed position.

1 Figure 5 is a perspective view of one of the ca'n'i elements which supports the switch mi s.

Referring to the drawing in detail,- the numerals 1 and '2 represent the rails of the main track of a 1 ailro'ad,:the rai-l 2'having an: "angularly extending -portion'3 forming onerail of a siding. Disposed'in parallel relation to the P01131011 and; each end of the rack i sp e re a on 20 t elongated. slot:19 1n astudQQ-projeetihg .prises theothenrail of itllqlslding, and dis; posed parallel; relation togthe rail ,1""is rail 5- which comprisesione rail of acontinua tion-of the nain traclr; The rails are sup"] ported in 4 i tie-s. as indicated at;v $5. ,Pi-yqt nycoifinejcted' to the rails 4 and 5 are a pair ofswitcli points 7 and .8 respectivelyadaptedi017 enga'g'enient with :the rails 1 and Qoff the swlitch points; is pivotallyi connectedadj acent' jo'ne end to a r l to: lpe im swi ch 2 P I? swing in a vertical; The switch poi ts; gradually ,decrease, n height toward theffree ends thereof and thein outer sidel faces' f are bevelled adjacent the free chaste 'iri dicated i i i v 4 1 Seated oncertainl of the ic 6 a d ffi f s sv s ly of he raf j ebcfi tfii he rails is a base plate 10 which forr'ri s thej jbot-f tom ,walli of -a plurality of housings 11 112 and-13. Thcthousing v H y: of h6 PQ17 iQ h ai iZi hethlo l fis, 121 isidi'sposedbetween the "switch; points the u n lma ne o e rl i li 'Q li v .YQ ll is dispose'oloutw d;

7 and 8, and the hbusing'18is disposedfout -u wardly ofthe; raiLl', the plate 10,,is a raclcbar' l whicl transversely of the-track thr g slots formed in the 'railfl a nd. raiiljp on End portions of, the .racl; bar l}; extend b 'ncath keepers 15 mounted on the'pl Slidably mounted. on se s w h nec d' 0t uit 1 h l ppe ite efid of whi h s cQI ctdIWith one? Qft e ingrs carried bythe basefplate. 1

l ends thereof the r'ackbar 14; is provided in 1 7 es teetb 641 6 "1 v yt end thereof the 'rgcltbai' 14 vided with a pin 18 'which upwardlythrouglran a. r20. lot the lever 20 is .p votallyconnected d th aras e end 6f the '1, -uecteclwitlra1;i actllt tingibar m',ib

w from the hantl *ougli an elongated slot 23in the lever. Tfljhe ac tatiiig bar-21; is connected with a switch Y ever 9A disposed on oneside ;t1 e;;u-a*qk;* Disposed beneath .";h switch points 7 and #6126 E'a'ch ofijtlle 1 s o upper with tion, substantially elliptical in cross section, and is disposed longitudinally of a switch point. Each of the cam elements tapers from to the free end of the switch point. Spaced from the large ends thereof, the cam elements 25 and 26 are provided withperipherally 611- tending rows of inset teeth 28 and 29 respectively which are in mesh with the teeth 17 and 16 of the rack bar 147 The portions-of the cam elen'ients 25 and 26 between the teeth 28 and 29 and the large ends ofthe cam elements, are seated on an extension 30 of the base plate 10. Portionsof the cam elements 25 and 26,"adjacent the large ends thereof, are rotatably disposed within recesses 81 formed in the lower faces ofthe switch points 7 and 8. r V

Connected with the switch points 7 and 8, adjacent the free ends thereof, are a pair of arn'zs 132 which extenddownwardly through slots 33 throngh the extension 30 of the base plate 10. The arms 32 are pivotally connec ed at their lower ends with the ends of a lever 34 which is disposed between a pair of the ties 6, and which is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on a rod 35 extending between the ties. The extension 30 of the plate 10 provides a cover for the lever 34 and rod 35.

Y Depending from the ends of. the base plate 10 and extension'iiO are aprons 36 which close thespaces-hetween the ends of the'ties upon which the plate 10 and extension '30- are mounted. 7 r

In the operation of the switch, theswitch stand'lever 2 4 is actuated to move the rack bar 14 transversely of the track. Upon such movement of theraclr bar, the teeth 16 and 17 thereof respectively engage the teeth 29 and 28 of the cain elements 2 6 and 25 whereby the latter are rotated beneath the switch points 8 and 7 The cam elements25 and 26 are sodisposed with respect to each other that when the major axis of one of the cam elements is disposed horizontally, the major axis of the other cam element will be disposed vertically. In Figure 2 the cam element25 is shown with. its maier axis disposed vertically, in which'position the switch point [l is elevated to bring the free end thereof in transverse alignment with the rail 1..

Uponthe raising of the switch point 7, the switch point 8 is lowered. owing to the arms 32 which connect the switch pointswith the pivoted lever 34:. l f

t is to be noted that tiie weight of the switch points is transmitted through the cam elements 25 and 2ti"directly to the extension '30 of the plate 10, whereby the teeth of the cam'element are maintainedloosely in mesh with the teeth of the rack bar' It is to be n otcd further that the switch points remain in the same vertical plane in their opened and closed positions whereby the likelihood of snow or the like accumulating between the beveled faces 9 of the switch points and the rails associated with the bevelled faces is prevented; entire operating mechanism with the exception of the conventional switch stand is protected from the weather;

llt is thought that the many advantages of a switch in accordance with. this invention will be readily apparent, and although the preferred embodiment of the invention'is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to,.so

long as such changes fall within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims,

lVhat I claim is: I c 1. A railroad switch comprising, a pair of pivoted switch points, a cam element disposed beneath a free end portion of each switch point, each of said cam elements being of elongated, tapered formation substantially elliptical in cross section, a circumferentially extending row of teeth on each of said cam elements, and a rack bar extending transversely of the railroad for engagement with the teeth of the cam elements'to selectively move the switch points into operative .position. V V V a 2. A railroad switch comprising, a pair of pivoted switch points, a cam element disposed beneath a free end portion of each switch point, each of said cam elements being of elongated, tapered formation substantially elliptical in cross section, acircumferentially extendingrow' of teeth on each ofsaid cam elements, and a rack bar extending transverse ly of the railroad for engagementwith the teeth of the cam elements to selectively move the switch points into operative position, the teeth of'each of'said cam elements being inset from the periphery thereof.

3. A railroad switch comprising, a pair of pivoted switch points, a cam element dis? posed beneath a end portion of each switch point, each of. said cam elements being of elongated, tapered formation substantially elliptical in crossscct'ion, a circumferentially excnding row of teeth on each of said cam elements'. a rack bar extending transversely of jecting laterally therefrom, said plate being i It is to he further noted that the formed centrally thereof with a lateral. extension, a pair of pivoted switch points, a cam element disposed beneath a free end portion of each switch point, each of said cam elements being of elongated tapered formation substantially elliptical in cross section and having its smaller end rotatably mounted in the lower face of a switch point, a circumferentially extending row of inset teeth on each cam element in spaced relation to the larger end thereof, a rack bar slidably mounted on said plate to selectively move the switch points into operative position, a pair of arms connected with the free ends of the switch points, and a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and having its ends pivotally connected with said arms.

5. A railroad switch comprising a plate extending transversely of the railroad and projccting laterally therefrom, said plate being formed centrally thereof with a lateral extension, a pair of pivoted switch points, a cam element disposed beneath a free end portion of each switch point, each of said cam elements being of elongated tapered formation substantially elliptical in cross section and having its smaller end rotatably mounted in the lower face of a switch point, a circumferentially extending row of inset teeth on each cam element in spaced relation to the larger end thereof, a rack bar slidably mounted on said plate to selectively move the switch points into operative position, a pair of arms connected with the free ends of the switch points, and a lever pivotally mounted intermediate its ends and having its ends pivotally connected with said arms, the extension of said plate providing a cover for said lever, and a plurality of housings for the end portion and intermediate portion of said rack bar, said plate providing the bottom wall of each of said housings;

6. A railroad switch comprising, a pair of vertically movable switch points, a cam ele ment disposed beneath each switch point, a ciroumferentially extending row of teeth on each cam element, and a rack bar extending transversely of the railroad for engagement with the teeth of the cam elements to selectively move the switch points into operative position. a

7 A railroad switch comprising, a pair of verticallymovable switch points, a cam element disposed beneath each switch point, as

circumferentially extending row of teeth on each cam element, and a rack bar extending transversely of the railroad for engagement with the teeth of the cam elements to selectively move the switch points into operative position, the teeth of each cam element being inset from the periphery thereof.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

ALBIN .P. LOFSTRAND. 

